Olympic Lift Variations to Get Big

by Wil Fleming – 3/19/2013
Sneak into any Russian training hall, Chinese sports school, or Bulgarian weightlifting Mecca and you'll see dozens of guys with traps popping out of their T-shirts, backs as wide as freeways, and quads that would make the Incredible Hulk turn another shade greener.
These world-class weightlifters may possess the powerful physiques we all want, yet they aren't following the typical models when it comes to putting on muscle mass.
It's not Hypertrophy Training For Dummies that they're using – you won't find these guys maxing out reps on the dumbbell shrug, leg extension, or leg curl machine. Instead, you'll see power cleans, snatches, deadlift variations, and several other killers that both stretch the seams of your shorts and scare your momma.
However, were I to peruse college textbooks or ask successful bodybuilder at the gym how to get ripped and get huge, it would be unlikely that the Olympic lifts would come up in any way, shape, or form.
It's because they're seemingly diametrically opposed endeavors, as the main thing it takes to put on muscle mass, high reps, is the kryptonite of Olympic lifting.
So what gives? My eyes tell me that Olympic lifting can make people jacked, but the textbooks and empirical evidence tell me that Olympic lifting and putting on size don't mix.

Hypertrophy Basics

If you're on this site you know how to get bigger. It's no secret, putting on size means some serious time under the bar, but let's review some hypertrophy basics.
The main objective in training for hypertrophy is maximal protein catabolism. In so doing, one should stimulate maximal synthesis of muscle protein in the recovery phase. Break down more muscle through your workouts and gain more muscle through your recovery.
Protein catabolism is greatest when the repetitions per set number 5-12, and the recovery between sets is 1-2 minutes. Training sessions for hypertrophy typically focus on a particular muscle group rather than a particular pattern of movement.
However, compare the above with Olympic lifting and you'll see more differences than while comparingRambo to The Notebook.
There's absolutely nothing similar about training protocols for Olympic lifting and hypertrophy. Hypertrophy calls for high reps, Olympic lifting calls for low reps. Hypertrophy calls for minimal rest, Olympic lifting for maximal rest.

Variable	Hypertrophy	Normal O Lifting
Intent	Activate and exhaust working muscles	Recruit maximal motor units
Reps	5-7 to 10-12	1-3
Rest Intervals	1-2 minutes/set	3-5 minutes/set
Volume	Large	Small
Weight Used	Maximal or sub-maximal	Maximal or sub-maximal

So what gives? Training for hypertrophy and using Olympic lifting are like oil and water, but there obviously must be some way to get jacked and use Olympic lifting.

Using Olympic Lifting for Hypertrophy

There's one common problem that we must overcome to make Olympic lifting useful for hypertrophy.
Hypertrophy requires volume, and big increases in volume result in huge changes muscle size.
But this runs contrary to what most Olympic lifters typically do, as an Olympic lifting program for even a national level lifter rarely exceeds 200-300 reps per week.
Contrast this with the typical "3 sets of 10 reps" hypertrophy workout we often see recommended in beginner bodybuilding articles – applying that to just a total of 10 exercises per week would yield more reps than most serious Olympic lifters do in a week.
Now this doesn't mean that sets of 3 reps are now sets of 10 and 12 reps. That won't work with the Olympic lifts (I'll explain why later). We sneak in volume by using combo movements to double or triple the volume of an exercise.

Heavy Combos

Combos are multiple movements completed 1 repetition at a time, or 1+1+1 until completion. This is in contrast to a complex where movements are completed in their entirety until completion.
Two examples of a heavy combo are below. The first is a clean combo of deadlift, full clean, and front squat.
In the video I complete it for 1 repetition each. The key here is that I chose a weight (125 kilos) that would be challenging had I done it for only 1 repetition of the full clean, as it's about 85% of my current 1RM.
In a typical Olympic lifting program, doing singles at 85% of your 1RM is not uncommon, but by using a combo I was able to sneak 2 extra reps in to my weekly volume.

The second combo is a snatch combo of snatch deadlift, snatch high pull, and power snatch.
In the video I complete the movement for 1+1+1 x2, making the total reps completed in the set fall right in the middle of the number of reps one should be doing for hypertrophy (6 reps).

Heavy combos used for hypertrophy should be done with 2-4 combined movements done one rep at a time. Make sure that when doing them the total reps completed within any given set doesn't exceed 10.

The Klokov Combo

The rules of combos go out the window with this one exception, the Klokov combo.
The Klokov combo is named after Russian lifter, Dmitry Klokov. This combo features 5 movements in sequence completed for 1 repetition each: deadlift, full clean, front squat, push press, and split jerk.
If combos are named after animals (i.e., the bear), this one should be named the shark-tiger-bear. Try completing this combo with 80-85% of your 1RM.

Klokov has famously completed this exact complex with 205 kilos on the bar. The bar has been set!

5+5 Regression Complexes

While I'm trying to be all sneaky about adding extra reps into Olympic lifts to train for hypertrophy, I'm certain some are thinking, "Wait, why don't I just do sets of 8-12 reps on the clean?"
The answer is simple: high rep Olympic lifts are terrible for you. Consult any textbook and you'll find that Olympic lifts are never prescribed for more than 5 repetitions...ever. Consult any successful coach and they'll tell you that 90% of all sets should be done at 3 reps or below. See, no matter where you turn, it just isn't a good idea.
The problem with high rep Olympic lifts is that no matter how good the technician is at the movements, their form will ultimately break down as the set goes on.
The regression complex is a perfect remedy for this problem.
The concept is simple. Take a complex movement and at the precise moment that form typically breaks down, regress to a similar movement that requires less technical efficiency.
Here's a video of me doing a regression complex of power snatches and snatch grip Romanian deadlifts for 5 reps of each. It's another sneaky way to add repetitions to your Olympic lift training program and get huge in the process.

A second example is to use the power clean and deadlift in a 3+3 complex. While 110 kilos isn't typically a challenging weight on the deadlift, it's an entirely different story after knocking out several cleans and clean pulls first.

How to Use Them

So how do you use these? Should you just throw some extra reps at your workout and hope for some gains?
No, use the 3-week training program below to quickly develop mountainous traps, aircraft carrier lats, and giant quads. You've got my word on it.

Week 1

Workout 1

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Snatch Combo: Snatch Deadlift, Snatch High Pull, Power Snatch	4	1+1+1x2
B	Back Squat	4	5
C	Push Press	4	5
D	Abs	3	X

Workout 2

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Clean Regression Complex	4	5+5
B	Clean Pull	4	4
C	Dumbbell Row	2	12
D	Turkish Get-Up	3	2 each

Workout 3

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Snatch Regression Complex	4	5+5
B	Front Squat	4	5
C	Split Jerk	4	3
D	Abs	3	X

Workout 4

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Klokov Combo	4	1+1+1+1+1
B	Back Squat	4	5
C	Pull-Up	4	10
D	Turkish Get-Up	3	2 each

Week 2

Workout 1

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Snatch Combo: Snatch Deadlift, Snatch High Pull, Power Snatch	4	1+1+2x2
B	Back Squat	4	6
C	Push Press	4	5
D	Abs	3	X

Workout 2

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Clean Regression Complex	4	5+5
B	Clean Deadlift	4	5
C	Dumbbell Row	2	12
D	Turkish Get-Up	3	2 each

Workout 3

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Snatch Regression Combo	4	5+5
B	Front Squat	4	6
C	Split Jerk	4	3
D	Abs	3	X

Workout 4

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Klokov Combo	4	1+1+2+1+1
B	Back Squat	4	6
C	Pull-Up	4	10
D	Turkish Get-Up	3	2 each

Week 3

Workout 1

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Snatch Combo: Snatch Deadlift, Snatch High Pull, Power Snatch	4	2+1+2x2
B	Back Squat (10% higher than week 1)	4	5
C	Push Press	4	5
D	Abs	3	X

Workout 2

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Klokov Complex	5	1+1+1+1+1
B	Clean Deadlift	4	5
C	Dumbbell Row	2	12
D	Turkish Get-Up	3	2 each

Workout 3

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Snatch Regression Combo	4	5+5
B	Snatch High Pull	4	5
C	Split Jerk	4	3
D	Abs	3	X

Workout 4

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Clean Combo: Deadlift, Full Clean, Front Squat	4	2+2+2
B	Back Squat	4	6
C	Pull-Up	4	10
D	Turkish Get-Up	3	2 each

Conclusion

While hypertrophy isn't normally the province of Olympic lifting, here's your opportunity to get creative like a weightroom Picasso and implement some sneaky strategies to gain massive size from the O lifts.

Manquer de sommeil donne faim

Lorsque vous manquez de sommeil, vous mangez presque 300 calories de plus par jour que lorsque vous êtes reposé, selon une étude de l'Université de Columbia (Etats-Unis). (1)

L'effet est particulièrement dévastateur pour les femmes. Ce sont elles qui augmentent le plus leur consommation de nourriture lorsqu'elles manquent de sommeil : plus 329 calories, contre 263 pour les hommes. Or, les femmes ont en principe moins besoin de calories que les hommes.

Dans le cadre d'une vie active dans un bureau, une femme a besoin de 1800 à 2200 calories par jour, alors qu'un homme a besoin de 2500 à 3500 calories par jour. 329 calories, c'est l'équivalent pour elles d'un demi-repas en plus sur la journée.

Bonnes calories, mauvaises calories

Et ce n'est pas tout : compter les calories sans tenir compte du type de nourriture consommée n'a pas beaucoup de sens. Il existe des bonnes calories, et de mauvaises calories. Les mauvaises calories sont, essentiellement, celles qui se trouvent dans l'amidon et les céréales raffinées, car elles provoquent des pics d'insuline dans le sang, surtout quand elles sont grillées (biscottes, chips, céréales du petit-déjeuner, viennoiseries, frites). Les bonnes calories sont celles qu'on trouve dans les huiles crues, les légumes et fruits frais, les oléagineux (noix, amandes, noix du Brésil...), les produits animaux non transformés et cuits à basse température.

Or, justement, les femmes qui manquent de sommeil, plus encore que les hommes, ont tendance à consommer leurs calories supplémentaires sous forme de snacks, pizzas, frites, bonbons et glaces.

« La glace est ressortie comme l'aliment préféré durant l'état de manque de sommeil », a déclaré Marie-Pierre Saint-Onge, assistant-professeur de nutrition à l'Université de Columbia, et principale auteur de l'étude. « Le manque de sommeil vous rend plus susceptible de trop manger, et c'est une chose qui peut être prise en compte lorsque vous essayez de perdre du poids. »

Un combat contre votre propre corps

De précédentes études avaient montré que le manque de sommeil pourrait :

• augmenter les niveaux de ghréline, une hormone qui stimule l'appétit ;
  
• diminuer les niveaux de leptine, une hormone qui supprime la faim, et qui augmente le taux de métabolisme, c'est-à-dire la production d'énergie par le corps.
  

Autrement dit, lutter contre la faim et surtout contre le grignotage lorsque vous n'avez pas assez dormi revient à lutter contre votre corps lui-même, qui vous envoie dans tous les sens des signaux pour vous donner envie de manger plus.

Ce qui nous ramène, une nouvelle fois, à l'importance de bien dormir.

Difficile de bien dormir

Il est juste de dire que nous sommes « plus occupés » que nos parents ou grands-parents ne l'étaient à notre âge. Non que nous ne travaillions plus. Mais la télévision, jusque tard dans la nuit, Internet (24h/24), les jeux en ligne, les smartphones (qui sont devenus pour beaucoup d'indispensables compagnons de vie, et pour certains, malheureusement, leur meilleur, voire leur unique « ami » dans l'existence), tous ces appareils nous stimulent au point que les périodes d'inactivité, de calme, de repos et d'ennui se sont considérablement réduites. Beaucoup d'entre nous vivent dans des environnements où dormir assez est un défi. Car lorsque vous avez beaucoup à faire, le temps de sommeil est généralement le premier sur lequel on empiète.

Comme il n'est en général pas possible de rattraper le matin le temps de sommeil perdu, pour cause d'horaires de travail ou d'enfants à préparer pour l'école, la seule solution est de se coucher plus tôt.

Solution (souvent) miraculeuse

Une solution souvent miraculeuse pour cela est de supprimer la télévision. C'est difficile, mais ce que nous pouvons tous faire est de sortir la télévision de notre chambre à coucher, sauf bien sûr si vous habitez en studio. Si vous remplacez la télévision au lit par de la lecture au lit, vous sentirez vos paupières s'alourdir bien plus vite, et la qualité de votre sommeil s'améliorera.

De nombreux spécialistes recommandent d'établir une routine, qui consiste essentiellement à se coucher et à se lever à la même heure tous les jours. On comprend bien que cela convienne mieux à notre « horloge biologique » mais la réalité est qu'une telle règle est difficile à suivre : trop de contraintes, trop d'imprévus bousculent nos vies pour que nous puissions, tels des paysans d'autrefois, nous coucher le soir avec le soleil et nous lever au chant du coq.

En revanche, nous pouvons parvenir à nous mettre régulièrement au lit un peu plus tôt. En prévoyant de dîner vers 19h30, cela nous laisse du temps ensuite pour ranger puis lire, parler, voire faire quelque travail important. Même s'il se produit un événement inattendu, il sera en principe possible de se coucher vers 22h30, ce qui laisse amplement le temps pour une bonne nuit réparatrice.

Bien reposé, vous grignoterez moins le lendemain, et vos artères vous diront merci.

A votre santé !

Jean-Marc Dupuis

All About the deadlift

The deadlift is the often-overlooked weight lifting exercise that is actually one of the best ways to burn fat and build muscle. It is a strength builder that body builders and powerlifters use to gain lean muscle mass and improve their strength.

The Benefits of Deadlifting

One of the reasons that the deadlift works so well is because it is a compound move that involves many body parts, including the hamstrings, quads, glutes, abs, traps, lower back, triceps, biceps, lats, calves and grip. Working all of these muscles with a sizable amount of weight on the bar is an effective way to build your strength.

Deadlifting requires physical and mental strength. Convincing yourself you can make the lift and beat your personal record takes a lot of mental power. The benefits of the deadlift are worth the effort though. Aside from discipline and self-confidence, deadlifting improves stability, posture, flexibility, and your cardio level.

Why People are Scared to Deadlift

The main reason people are scared to deadlift is the risk of injury. It’s not that deadlifting is a dangerous exercise, it’s just that you need to use proper form every time. It’s especially important to perfect your form and have a spotter before you start deadlifting 300, 400, 500 pounds or more.

Another reason people are scared of deadlifting is because no one has ever trained them how to do it properly. Cardio and weight machines at the gym are pretty self-explanatory. Even bench pressing and squats are more widely used exercises among gym-goers than the deadlift. You can really mess up your back or tear a bicep if you don’t use proper technique. A lifting belt is also a good idea because it protects the back during heavy lifts. The best option is to hire a qualified trainer to get you started and monitor your progress in the beginning. If you can’t afford to to that, you can also videotape your lifts to see what your form looks like and how you might improve your lifts.

Lastly, women in particular tend to fear deadlifting because it will make them bulk up and look manly. The truth is, deadlifting is a great exercise for women and it can help them burn fat and build lean muscle mass, just like men. The difference is that men and women can train the same, but they can’t eat the same. Women who perform heavy weight training exercises need to follow a high protein, low-carb diet to avoid bulking up. Combined with this diet protocol, women can see phenomenal results as their body changes. The ratio of fat-to-muscle changes and creates a leaner, stronger and healthier look.

Deadlifting Basics

There are several types of deadlifts. The first is conventional or Romanian deadlifting. This style works the quads, hamstrings and glutes the most. It also involves hip extensions.

• Start by stacking the barbell in front of you on the floor with the appropriate amount of weight. Beginners may need to use just the bar, without additional weight plates, until they get used to the exercise and perfect their form.
• Approach the bar until your legs are almost close enough to touch the bar, spread about six inches apart.
• As you bend down to grab the bar, keep in mind that you need to stick your butt out and pull your shoulders back. No slouching.
• Keep your weight on your heels and avoid rolling up to the ball of your feet or on your toes.
• Find a comfortable grip. Its perfectly fine to use an overhand grip when lifting lighter weights or if that is your preference. To get a better grip on the bar and prevent the bar from slipping out of your hands, however, a reverse grip is recommended. This simply means using one overhand and one underhand grip at the same time.
• Take in a deep breathe and puff out your stomach before you lift the bar.
• Aim for a steady upwards pull, arms and elbows locked in place.
• Stand all the way up, locking the bar in place with your hips fully extended, shoulders back and chest out.
• Stay in control of the weight as you let the bar down and set the weights back on the floor.
• Stretch out your hamstrings and hip flexors to prevents soreness after your workout.

The sumo deadlift is a little different in that the legs are spread wider apart, the toes are pointed out and the hips are rotated out. This version works your hips and quads more than the conventional method.

Deadlifting Training Schedule

You may be thinking that the deadlift is an easy move and the training is easy as well. But it takes a lot of work to increase your deadlift max and there are a few ways you can do this. While going all out and reaching your personal best lift is exciting, it’s not a good idea to max out often. Instead, switch things up with your training.

• Do light weights for high repetitions of 12-20 to increase your deadlift. It also doubles as a cardio exercise, elevating your heart rate in intervals.
• Lift a moderate amount of weights for 3-5 repetitions.
• Do mini deadlifts. The difference between these and conventional deadlifts is that you use a much lighter weight and don’t set the weight down between lifts, the weight hangs just below the knees at the low end, then you stand straight up as if you were doing a regular deadlift. Two sets of 20 is usually enough to feel it in your hamstrings. If you feel it in your lower back, it’s time to rest.
• Use seated machines to build your hamstrings and quads.

Be careful not to overdo it. Never train the same body part two days in a row. Allow time for your muscles to rest and repair themselves. You can also spend time doing isolated exercises that strengthen each of the muscles used to deadlift. Over time, this type of training will increase your maximum deadlift.

Tracy Rose
*Tracy has set the female record for deadlift in the state of Michigan
Tracy’s blog: http://weightliftingtoloseweight.blogspot.com.

Top 10 Exercises to Achieve an Athletic Build

An athletic build is desired by many, it is similar to that of a bodybuilder but they are not the same. While a bodybuilder is built for size and strength an athletes body is built for power, speed, quickness, explosiveness and agility. Typically the body of a bodybuilder is more bulky, sometimes VERY bulky. The body of an an athlete is usually more slight. Then there is a grey area where some athletes look like bodybuilders. If you want an athletic build you need to train like an athlete does. These are the top 10 exercises athletes do to give you an athletic build.

1) Power Cleans

Power cleans and other types of cleans are a mainstay in most athletic programs. Cleans are a total body exercise that use  your quads, calves, hamstrings, glutes, spinal erectors, deltoids, traps, and forearms, as well as the core muscles that come into play to stabilize your spine throughout the movement. Cleans develop power and explosiveness essential to an athlete. If an athlete could only do one exercise this would probably be it and if you can only do one exercise to achieve an athletic build this should be it as well.

2) Squats

Squats are the king of the lower body exercises. Any athlete who needs power in his lower body is doing squats. Don’t be one of those people with a built upper body and chicken legs. Squats  target a number of different muscle groups all over the body: the core muscles including the abdominals and lower back, the glutes, and the thigh muscles. Hit the squats hard and hit them often.

3) Bench Press

If the squats are king of the lower body the bench press is the king of the upper body. Athletes that need upper body power use this as a mainstay of their training. The bench works the chest, shoulders, triceps, and even the abs are used to help generate power and stability. Whether you do it with a barbell or dumbbells the bench press is a must.

4) Sprints

Sprints are another biggie in an athletes training, athletes not only want power and explosiveness but as the old saying goes “speed kills!”  Speed can be a huge asset to to many athletes, whether it is going deep on a  passing route, a fast break in basketball, or stealing second base in baseball, having speed is essential. Not only does sprinting build speed but doing sprints in interval training will burn fat like crazy which we talked about in this article. If you haven’t noticed pretty much all sprinters have athletic build.

5) Core Training

Athletes need to have a strong core and I am sure you are looking to have a six pack with your athletic build so you will need to do core training. Hanging leg raises, planks (both front and side) and crunches will get your core tight and strong.

6) Chin ups

Chin ups are common exercise for many athletes as part of their training to improve pulling movements, they will also help you get that nice  V-shape we all love.

7) Shoulder Press

Strong shoulders are a must in many sports for pushing movements. Shoulder presses not only work the deltoids but the triceps, lats and traps as well,  they are also a must for an athletic build.

8) Rows

Rows build strength for pulling movements useful in wrestling, football and other sports. They work primarily the lats and traps as well as the biceps and shoulders. Doing rows add thickness to the back muscles.

9) Close Grip Bench Press

The close grip bench is used for athletes to strengthen pushing movements, unlike the bench press the close grip bench press focuses on the triceps as the primary muscle rather than the chest.

10) Lunges

Lunges are widely used to build strength in the quads, glutes and hips. They will also help you get a nice round butt we all like.

Honorable mention- Plyometrics

Plyometrics are very popular with athletes to build explosiveness, quickness and agility. They involve many different jumps and other movements. The most common type of plyometrics you see a conventional gym is usually box jumps. Use caution when doing these as they can lead to injury if you are not in good shape or do them incorrectly.

There you have the top 10 exercises you need to get you an athletic body. Notice all the exercises on the list are compound movements that use multiple muscles at the same time.  Athletes generally do not do isolated movements like bicep curls or calf raises as part of their every day training, you can feel free to mix in movements like that if you desire however.

Ryan Douglas

Nourritures sacrées et autres aphrodisiaques

L'idée de base est simple : pour un désir puissant, il faut une nourriture puissante, et ce n'est pas un hasard si la plupart des langues utilisent le mot « appétit » pour parler à la fois de la nourriture et du désir sexuel. 

Qu'est-ce qu'une nourriture « puissante » ? C'est en général ce que votre diététicien essayera de vous interdire, les nourritures riches en graisses et en cholestérol, comme les œufs, le beurre, la crème, la viande rouge, les morceaux gras de la volaille, les poissons, les crustacés. 

Ces aliments sont appréciés par les cultures traditionnelles du monde entier comme favorisant la force, le désir et la fertilité, ce qui semble logique puisqu'une libido active est nécessaire aux personnes qui souhaitent procréer.

Malheureusement, les membres en blouse blanche de la police de la santé répandent des horreurs sur ces aliments, et font une propagande pour les régimes pauvres en graisse et riches en céréales complètes et en soja. Les résultats parlent d'eux-mêmes : une épidémie de fatigue, d'anxiété, d'infertilité, de malaise et de baisse de la libido. Et ce n'est pas étonnant. Ces recommandations anti-graisses défient le bon sens : si les graisses sont si mauvaises, pourquoi la plupart des aliments qui nous attirent en contiennent-ils tellement ? Dame-Nature se serait-elle trompée ? A-t-elle décidé de nous faire tous mourir de maladies cardiovasculaires ? Et nos ancêtres, partout dans le monde, se trompaient-ils tous lorsqu'ils festoyaient de nourritures riches et grasses ? Cela paraît peu probable, et je vais vous dire pourquoi : 

Le cholestérol, c'est bon

Commençons par le cholestérol : la grande presse s'est enfin fait écho de ce que nous répétons depuis des années. Le cholestérol n'est pas un ennemi pour notre corps, c'est au contraire notre meilleur allié pour la santé. 

Le Professeur Philippe Even explique dans Le Nouvel Observateur du 14 février 2013 : 

« Le cholestérol est la plus noble, peut-être la plus belle et la plus indispensable de nos molécules. Elle a joué et joue encore un rôle essentiel dans l'évolution de la vie sur terre et dans la protection de nos cellules contre l'oxygène, qui tend à les brûler. Aujourd'hui, elle assure la robustesse des membranes de nos milliers de milliards de cellules. En particulier musculaires, cardiaques et nerveuses. Elle permet la stabilité des récepteurs hormonaux, immunologiques et neurologiques.

Sans cholestérol pas de récepteurs, pas de signaux, pas de communication entre les cellules. Le cholestérol est aussi un transporteur de graisses, mais il n'est pas une graisse. Il est aussi à la source de la cortisone, l'hormone du stress, de toutes les hormones sexuelles mâles et femelles, de la vitamine D, qui protège notre squelette. En outre, c'est la plus difficile à fabriquer des molécules, 36 étapes chimiques successives, de l'orfèvrerie. »

Et en effet, le cholestérol est à la racine de l'arbre dont les branches sont nos hormones. Sans cholestérol, pas d'hormones sexuelles. Et même si l'image est frappante, n'oubliez pas que le cholestérol ne pousse pas dans les arbres ni dans les plantes ; on ne le trouve que dans les nourritures d'origine animale. Il abonde dans les aliments traditionnels comme le caviar, les huîtres, la viande rouge, le foie et les autres abats, la crème et le beurre, et c'est la raison pour laquelle ces aliments sont réputés rendre puissant et fertile. 

N'ayez pas peur des graisses saturées

Les graisses saturées vous font peur ? La science dit que vous en avez aussi besoin. Les membranes des cellules dépendent des graisses saturées pour leur structure, plus les acides gras essentiels oméga-3 et oméga-6 pour la flexibilité membranaire. Les deux sont nécessaires pour que la membrane puisse faire pénétrer les nutriments mais bloquer les toxines. Les acides gras trans qu'on trouve dans certains aliments industriels rendent la membrane rigide, et les acides gras polyinsaturés des huiles liquides la rendent molle. 

Lorsque vous ne mangez pas les quantités adéquates de graisses saturées, votre corps force le cholestérol à pénétrer dans la membrane pour sauver la vie de la cellule, diminuant ainsi le taux de cholestérol total. Loin d'être bénéfique, cela provoque un état d'urgence : lorsque le cholestérol est utilisé à maintenir l'intégrité des cellules, il n'est plus disponible pour produire des hormones. 

Les graisses saturées favorisent la production d'hormones, de prostaglandine et le fonctionnement du système immunitaire et du cerveau. Dans la mesure où le cerveau contient plus de 60 % de graisse et de cholestérol, comment se portera-t-il s'il est engorgé d'huiles végétales rances et d'acides gras trans ? Ou réduit à la famine par un régime pauvre en graisse ? Woody Allen appelait son cerveau son « second organe préféré ». Et moi, je vous dis : « Aimez-le, et nourrissez-le ». 

Les bonnes graisses et le cholestérol sont aussi l'arme fatale contre les dépendances en tout genre, dont la dépendance au sucre et au grignotage. Elles aident à équilibrer le taux de sucre dans le sang et vous apportent énergie mentale et physique toute la journée. Parce que les graisses restent bien plus longtemps dans votre estomac que les glucides et les protéines, elles seules vous donnent le sentiment de satiété et de plénitude nécessaires pour vous sentir bien après un repas, et penser à autre chose qu'à la nourriture, pour vous consacrer à des activités productives. Elles sont donc essentielles pour maintenir un poids idéal. 

Fuyez les produits allégés

Malheureusement, beaucoup de personnes préoccupées par leur santé craignent la bonne nourriture traditionnelle à cause du marketing généralisé en faveur des produits allégés, abusivement présentés comme meilleurs pour la santé. Des images de femmes sveltes sont utilisées pour en faire la promotion, bien que ce ne soit pas en consommant ces produits qu'elles aient atteint ce résultat. Comble de la mauvaise foi, ces produits sont souvent présentés comme augmentant la capacité de séduire. La réalité, c'est que beaucoup de nos aliments industriels « bons pour la santé » ont en fait été créés dans le but inverse !

Sylvester Graham au 19e siècle et John Harvey Kellogg, inventeur des Corn Flakes au début du 20e siècle, appelaient à la consommation de céréales riches en fibre pour tuer la libido et mettaient en garde contre la viande en associant le régime carnivore à des pensées et un comportement bestial !

Réciproquement la consommation de maïs conduit à un mode de vie bovin. Je n'invente rien. En Asie, les moines zen utilisent depuis longtemps le soja pour mieux respecter leurs vœux de célibat. La consommation de tofu semble en effet diminuer les « mauvaises » tendances. Les femmes japonaises ont aussi appris que leur meilleure revanche contre les maris volages est de les bourrer de tofu. Quoi de mieux pour tuer le désir ?

Que reste-t-il à savoir sur les nourritures sacrées pour la fertilité ? Abandonnez le pain, et les aliments faits à base de blé raffiné. Oubliez le sucre et tous les aliments contenant du sirop de glucose. Tous les aliments allégés sont à laisser de côté, surtout lorsqu'ils contiennent de l'aspartame. Et en ce qui concerne le chocolat, il est certain qu'il peut donner du plaisir mais choisissez plutôt pour vos moment d'intimité un homme ou une femme en chair et en os.

Et pour conclure, votre maman avait raison : mangez vos légumes. Ajoutez du beurre ou un bon assaisonnement d'huiles crues (olive et colza), du vinaigre de cidre, et évitez les assaisonnements tout fait. Et si vous avez toujours peur du beurre, utilisez de la crème.

A votre santé,

Jean-Marc Dupuis (D'après Kaayla Daniel, Sacred Foods and Other Aphrodisiacs.) 

4 Stronger Squat Exercises

by Todd Bumgardner – 3/7/2013 

I'm not an incredible squatter. On a spectrum of squatting proficiency, I'd fall somewhere at the far end of average, just before the transition into good.
However, lest you're wondering if there's even any point in reading this article, consider that I used to be a horrible squatter. For an extended portion of my training history, my squats looked more like good mornings bullied into knee flexion.
The problems never change – we all have variations of the same issues – but how we respond to a given solution is hugely variable. To practice variability and to solve training problems, we require an oversized tool box. I'm talking about one of those sumbitches that sits in the back of a jacked up diesel.
That's the goal for this article – building your squat assistance toolbox so it rivals the Sears and Roebuck special. To do that though, we have to know what problems we're dealing with, as well as objectively examine your deficiencies.
Before we go on, one more note: sometimes the best exercise to improve your squat is the squat, whichever variation you happen to fancy. While having a creative approach is at times necessary and certainly more fun, make sure that you're building tension in the right places and squatting well before you worry about fixing problems.
These solutions are to be used in concert with great, submaximal squatting. They won't fix anything unless you're training yourself to squat well.
Let's first identify the problems, though. After that, I'll introduce specific tools you can use to fix them.

Identifying the Problems

Eccentric Strength

It's disconcerting how often eccentric strength is disregarded while squatting. Everyone seems to forget that we have to sit down with the weight before we stand up with it.
Unless you've become the ultimate master of reciprocal inhibition and turned yourself into super-elastic-bounce-man, some strength and tension during descent will serve you well. You need to learn to pull into the bottom position – it's a precursor to bottoms up strength.
Here's how to know if you're doing it well enough:

• You feel tension across the front of your hips and in your abs as you descend.
• Your spine stays neutral with a relatively upright torso. (I know powerlifters lean a bit.)
• There's no butt tuck at parallel. (Sure, this could be the place where we suggest an amazing corrective exercise to fix your anterior core instability, but it can be much simpler than that.)

If you've mastered these three criteria, you're light years ahead of most. But if you've failed on any of the above, you're doing it wrong.

Bottoms up Strength

I know what you're thinking. "Bottoms up" strength sounds like beer muscles, but for our current purpose let's skip the barley and hops and talk about strength out of the squatting hole.
Bottoms-up strength has several prerequisites. Is there air in the belly? Tension in the feet and hands? Are the lats tight? Strength out of the hole has a lot more to do with stability than anything else, provided you've chosen an appropriate load.
If you're loose at the bottom – feet aren't screwed in, shoulders aren't torqued, and air is non-existent – then your strength out of the hole is piss poor. Like eccentric strength – which, by the way, prepares us for bottoms up strength – the fix is simple.

Full-Body Tension

Irradiation, super stiffness, and co-contraction are analogous. The only difference is which coach's mouth, or pen, that those words came from. And it's important for all big lifts.
The first two problems I've mentioned cover irradiation for specific parts of the squatting task – the down and the bottom reversal. We'd be a yard short of a touchdown, though, if we didn't talk about full body tension throughout the squat.
The differential diagnosis is the same as in the first two examples – are you tight on the way down and tight at the bottom? Yes? Good for you, but we have to carry that tension through to the finish. We need to make sure you're tight in all phases.

Posterior Chain Involvement

Most lifters are inundated with developing their quads while squatting and forget how important the glutes and hamstrings are, but without good use of the posterior chain the hips are disproportionately loaded – quad development plays second fiddle to knee and low-back pain.
Every squat, be it front, box, side, or in the wilderness during a bowel-exiting endeavor, should begin with the hips travelling back in a hinge. If they don't, you're once again doing it wrong, and you may well end up with funky smelling feet.
For some folks this is a technique flaw, quickly remedied with instruction and coaching cues, but many times a forward jetting of the knees is indicative of lackluster posterior chain strength. In that case, it's time to load the glutes and hams while educating the hips on the finer points of posterior movement.

The Remedies

Eccentric Strength: Squat Pull-downs

This drill teaches you to access the eccentric squat strength you already have. That's right, Chill Rob G, you have the power. It's good, however, to pull against tension before learning to pull down with weight on your shoulders.
Sink the band deep into the armpits, stay tall, and use the abs and hip flexors to pull into the bottom position. Did you notice how during the first two reps I still display the blasphemous butt tuck, but by the third rep it's gone? It'll take a few reps and someone else's eyes to get you on the right track.
Also, keep in mind that I'm starting the tension by creating torque at my hips. I accomplished this task of major minutia by "screwing" my feet into the ground. Do this on every squat set and drill.
After you master the band in the armpits version of the squat pull down, use an unloaded bar with a reverse bands set up. To quote Coach Michael Ranfone, "It's easier to pull with the right patterning and sequence." This drill transitions nicely from the initial pull down lesson into the loaded bar pull down.

Josh, the guy in the video, moves seamlessly, but don't be fooled – this drill takes mammoth lat tension and a colossal pull from the hip flexors and abs.

Bottoms Up Strength: Squat with Chains

It's simple. Learning to stay tight in the bottom position requires a stimulus that forces you to stay tight. Send your appreciation to CaptainObvious.com.
Sometimes, however, it's the obvious that catches us off guard, like when you're looking for your hat and it's on your head. There's little difference between absent minded hat placement and what we need for bottom position squat tension. The obvious cues the light bulb.
Why the chains? Well, I dare you to squat loosely to the bottom position and stay there with minimal tension. You'll get rag dolled, brah. The real test, however, comes when owning the bottom position transitions into ascension. You best have your air low and strong, your feet must be torqued, and those elbows better be worked under the bar.
To start, take ten percent of your bar weight and replace it with chain weight. As an example, if your squat sets are planned at 275 pounds, cut the weight to 245 and add 30 pounds of chains.
You'll find that you'll quickly be able to up the percentage of chain and decrease bar weight, but if you've never squatted with chains before, it's best to be a tad conservative until you squash the learning curve.
Here's a quick tutorial on how to set up chains to squat:

Full-Body Tension: Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Squats

Sure, the chains are going to train you to keep tight under load, but we can fine tune that tension by adding another stimulus. Besides, just because the chains work for me doesn't mean they'll work for you. Remember the tool box.
One of the first things that novice and mediocre squatters dismiss is upper-body tension. It starts in the grip. I haven't found anything that challenges the grip while squatting more than holding a kettlebell upside down, as shown in the video below:

A strong grip on the kettlebell will transfer up the arms, into the shoulders, and end up in the torso. Combine that with a strong torque of the feet and properly placed air and you've built impressive full-body tension.

Posterior Chain Involvement: Good Mornings

To squat well your posterior chain must be strong. Deadlifts, glute-ham raises, and Romanian deadlifts must have seats reserved at your training table.
However, something magical happens when the hips have to move with a bar on the shoulders. I'll even humbly posit that the good morning has greater carry-over to the squat than it does the deadlift, mainly because it teaches bar placement and a tight upper-back with good posterior hip movement. This all takes place as the posterior chain adapts and becomes a monster – a pillar that a humungous squat rests upon.
A good morning, however, is not a quarter squat. The knees unlock and the hips travel back – that's it. There's no butt drop.
Here's a quick clue that you're doing it right – your hamstrings scream the whole time. As you sit back and your chest lowers, your hamstrings should continually build tension until you reach end range.

Great! Now When Do We Use Them?

A big toolbox with a lot of tools that we don't know how to use is, well, useless. Variation for variations sake is great for bored children and for info-marketers theorizing about neuromuscular confusion. Our tools, however, are applicable. Here's how to use the four stronger squat exercises.
Squat Pull-downs: These are great for pre-squat warm-up as a gentle reminder for intermediate and seasoned squatters. Contrast them with your warm-up sets, hitting 5-8 reps if you're using the single band variation and 3-5 reps if you've chosen the bar variation.
New squatters can implement these in a general prep circuit along with beginner squat variations such as goblet squats or dumbbell sumo squats. The same rep schemes apply, but new squatters beware the lat and back strength necessary for the bar pull-down.
Squat with Chains: It isn't rocket surgery – remove some bar weight and replace it with chain weight. Sure, there are specific training waves during which lifters use chains to prepare for competition and boost their acceleration, but we aren't worried about that.
If you've diagnosed yourself with poor bottom and transition squat tension, put some chains on the bar for a few weeks and then check yourself with straight bar weight. If you've done them right you'll have remedied your deficiency.
Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Squats: The first prerequisite is a set of kettlebells. They don't have to be heavy as this exercise is humbling. (The athlete in the video is using two 35-pound bells.)
Liken it to the senior girl that "showed you the ropes" during your sophomore year. You learned, your toolbox grew, and you realized that studying internet videos was no trade for real-world experience.
Be sure to squeeze the kettlebell like crazy while gripping the handle at the proximal bend. Bottoms-up kettlebell squats are a great warm-up exercise and fit nicely into a de-load plan. Since they're high-tension low-load, they also keep the nervous system ramped up during off-day recovery work.
Good Mornings: If you've realized that a severe posterior chain deficit is killing your squats, back off using squats as a main exercise and replace them with good mornings. You'll keep the upper-back and lat tension specific while teaching the hips to travel posteriorly. All the while, you'll be building a monster.
At this point, you'll also want to keep your posterior chain assistance work heavy, but be sure to keep a squat variation in the mix. My favorite combo is a ton of posterior chain work with front squats as an assistance exercise. When you return to sitting down with a bar on your back the pendulum will balance nicely and you'll have built a solid, strong squat.

Conclusion

If you want size, strength, and improved athletic performance, you must be able to squat well. If you're like I was five years ago, you have work to do. Throw these tools in your tool box and get to the grind.

Du venin d’abeille pour détruire le virus du Sida

Voilà une nouvelle bonne nouvelle dans la lutte contre le virus du sida. Une équipe de chercheurs américains a mis au point des nanoparticules chargées d’une toxine provenant du venin d’abeille, capable de détruire le virus du sida.

À terme, cette découverte pourrait aboutir à la production d’un gel vaginal qui limiterait le risque de contamination par le VIH.

« Nous espérons que dans les zones où le taux de prévalence du VIH est important, les gens pourront utiliser ce gel comme un moyen de prévention pour empêcher l’infection initiale, » explique Joshua L. Hood de la Washington University de Saint Louis.

Comment ? Grâce à cette toxine, la mellitine, un poison capable de percer l’enveloppe protectrice de plusieurs virus dont le VIH.

Véhiculée dans l’organisme grâce à ces nanoparticules, la mellitine aurait un effet dévastateur sur le virus. Le principal auteur de l’étude avait déjà montré qu’en addition aux traitements anti-rétroviraux que nous connaissons aujourd’hui, Samuel Wickline, cette toxine était capable de tuer les cellules tumorales infectées par le virus. Restait à trouver le moyen de permettre à la mellitine de s’attaquer au virus sans détruire les cellules saines. C’est désormais chose faite.

Des pare-chocs pour mieux cibler le VIH

Pour y parvenir, Joshua Hood a équipé les nanoparticules de pare-chocs moléculaires de sorte à ce qu’elle rebondisse sur les cellules normales, qui sont bien plus grandes. En revanche, le VIH étant bien plus petit que ces nanoparticules, le virus passe entre ces pare-chocs, se retrouvant alors en contact avec la mellitine.

Cette technique offre plusieurs avantages.

• Alors que les traitements antirétroviraux empêchent le virus de se multiplier, ces nanoparticules ont l’avantage de le détruire. Elles peuvent donc prévenir l’infection là où les traitements classiques n’opèrent de manière générale qu’a posteriori.

• Second avantage de cette nouvelle technique, en s’attaquant à la structure physique du virus on élimine le risque que celui-ci mute comme cela peut être le cas face à certains traitements.

D’autres applications possibles

« La particule que nous utilisons a été développée il y a plusieurs années en tant que sang artificiel » explique Hood, « Elle n’était pas particulièrement efficace pour apporter de l’oxygène dans l’organisme, en revanche elle y circule sans danger et constitue une bonne base pour travailler contre différentes infections. »

Ces nanoparticules pourraient aussi être utilisées pour lutter contre les hépatites B et C dont les enveloppes protectrices sont elles aussi vulnérables à la mellitine.

Selon Joshua Hood, il serait aussi possible de produire un gel qui s’attaque à la fois au sperme qu’au virus du sida. Alors que ces nanoparticules n’ont pour l’instant été mise à l’épreuve qu’en laboratoire, les chercheurs estiment qu’il serait facile de les produire en grandes quantités. De l’utilité de sauver les abeilles.

Sources : HuffingtonPost / Le Journal du Siècle